Chapter 23: The Grave of Empire

[Urson]

Zahra
Save vs Poison: 14 attribute check [1d20]=7

Zahra coughs and stumbles, suddenly dizzy.

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

Although deadened by the towering black curtain, the coughs and clamour from his companions do not escape his barbarian ears. Cruloc moves swiftly west and south to investigate.

[Inferno]

The Caverns of Thracia, Pictland, the World of Hyboria
Day Twelve. Late Morning? 22nd day of the month of Qrot, 1280th year of the Age of Aquilonia





The tapestry that was rent asunder shows there is no escape. Peasants, warriors, kings; all fall to Death.



Suddenly and without warning, the violators of the temple's sanctity are seemingly stricken dead by the God of Death!

Grigor, Kiri, Torix and Zahra fall to the ground lifeless, joining the dead worshippers of Thanatos.



Zahra's candle and Kiri's hovering torch likewise fall, and their light too is extinguished. Gnasher licks his master's face, to no avail.

Standing beyond the boundaries of the unhallowed tapestry, Amethu, Cruloc and Dahinna are somehow spared the vengeance of Thanatos.


Actions, Amethu, Cruloc and Dahinna?!


Map Detail:

One square = 10 feet. Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.





PC Status:

Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 4/3: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 17/17, Spells: 7/8 1st lvl, 5/5 2nd lvl, Lantern
Cruloc: Cimmerian Northman Barbarian 3: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 32/45, Torch
Dahinna: Zamoran Southwoman Thief 5: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 18/25
Gnasher: Grigor's Hound: Move: 12", AC: 5, HD: 2+2, HP: 11/11, AT: 1, D: 1-4

PC Magic:

None currently.

Player Resources:

The Struggle To Survive (the story so far)
Mysteries Strange and Deadly (player clues and notes)
An Age Undreamed Of (maps and realms of the World of Hyboria)

[hedgeknight]

Dahinna

"Holy fucking shit!" Dahinna hisses, watching her companions drop and die. Instinctively, she grabs Cruloc's tunic to anchor herself, to keep herself from crying hysterically and running off into the darkness. "Gnasher! Come here boy, come here!" she whispers, trying to get the hound's attention away from his dead master.
"We need to leave...before we join our friends. Right, Amethu?"

[Bluetongue]

Gnasher

Much too faithful to leaving his dead (sleeping?) Master's side. After much licking and tail wagging he will try the 'bite and drag Master' by the collar and heavy, unresponsive lump of lard Grigor is, not get very far. He will bark at the party, sniff around other prone bodies and if no one comes to the rescue, probably bark and paw at the sheet covered skeletons nearby.

[ravenn4544]

Amethu, behind the mask, stares grimly at the figures unknowingly laying prostrate to Death. "Let us protect ourselves - cover both nose and mouth - then drag them out of the chapel so we may examine their state..."

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

"Nay, Amethu. Despite having covered my face, the spores in yonder treasure room caused me to retch. I can only surmise that you will meet the fate of our companions should you attempt a rescue. I'll first try to lasso them."

Cruloc surveys the scene, and attempts to spot a grappling hook on the belt of one of the fallen. Failing that, a limb extended will suffice as a target. He removes the rope from his backpack and ties a loop in it.

"Should I miss, Dahinna, the job shall require your steady hand."

The Cimmerian does not offer a useless prayer to Crom. He girds himself and throws.

[Inferno]

The Caverns of Thracia, Pictland, the World of Hyboria
Day Twelve. Late Morning? 22nd day of the month of Qrot, 1280th year of the Age of Aquilonia







Memories unbidden swarm Amethu's beleaguered mind. Voices of the dead that died by their hand haunt him:

"Thracia is a graveyard and we are her Dead. There is nothing for you in the Underworld except Death."

"Thanatos will avenge me, and you shall suffer torments beyond imagining."

"A curse is now upon you. None can escape the vengeance of the God of Death. Remember me in your agony."

Dahinna rouses Amethu from his macabre reveries, desperately urging, "We need to leave... before we join our friends!"

In reply, the sorcerer-priest counsels that they cover their mouths with cloth and enter the chapel of Death to recover their dead. Cruloc rejects this suggestion and readies a rope. Faithful Gnasher howls piteously over the body of his lifeless master.

The barbarian throws the looped line around the grappling hook at Kiri's belt. Then he pulls with all his strength against the tremendous mass of the mountainous, armored warrior laden with treasures that will avail him naught in the afterlife. Cruloc labors mightily but cannot budge the fallen giant.

Then suddenly, he and Amethu feel light headed. (Amethu and Cruloc, please Save vs Poison to act.)


Actions, Amethu, Cruloc, Gnasher and Dahinna?!


Map Detail:

One square = 10 feet. Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.

Behind the DM Screen:

Cruloc: Dex check: [1d20]=10 Succeeds.
Cruloc: Str check: [1d20]=20 Fails. No fumbles in this game.

PC Status:

Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 4/3: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 17/17, Spells: 7/8 1st lvl, 5/5 2nd lvl, Lantern
Cruloc: Cimmerian Northman Barbarian 3: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 32/45, Torch at feet
Dahinna: Zamoran Southwoman Thief 5: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 18/25
Gnasher: Grigor's Hound: Move: 12", AC: 5, HD: 2+2, HP: 11/11, AT: 1, D: 1-4

PC Magic:

None currently.

Player Resources:

The Struggle To Survive (the story so far)
Mysteries Strange and Deadly (player clues and notes)
An Age Undreamed Of (maps and realms of the World of Hyboria)

[Bluetongue]

Gnasher

Will go running amok among the nearby sheet covered figures, imploring them to help since the others seem to struggle. Once he gets no response from them, the hound resorts to more agricultural 'waking Master up' methods. Having witnessed pails of water thrown over him to wake from drunken stupors, in lieu of water or a pail, he does have a cocked leg. Perhaps the mixture of ammonia and incense catalyses to becoming antitoxic smelling salts.

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

Save vs. poison (13 req) [1d20+4]=3+4=7

Cruloc gags.

[ravenn4544]

Amehtu chokes on his last words beneath his mask...

Save vs Poison (9) [1d20]=1

[hedgeknight]

Dahinna

When Cruloc and Amethu begin choking, Dahinna backs away, shaking her head in disbelief.
"Mother Mitra, protect your servant."

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

Vertigo has not assailed Cruloc so intensely since his drugging and despoiling by the seductive Spider Women of Khauran. The Cimmerian awoke hours later sore and moneyless, leading him to swear off whores for an entire fortnight thereafter.

He staggers away from the macabre scene as far as his failing legs will take him. In his last conscious thought, he wonders if he'll ever awaken again...

[Inferno]

The Caverns of Thracia, Pictland, the World of Hyboria
Day Twelve. Late Morning? 22nd day of the month of Qrot, 1280th year of the Age of Aquilonia





Near the sundered tapestry of the apocalypse...



...Amethu and Cruloc are the next to be taken by the God of Death! Standing right beside Dahinna, they both suddenly fall to the floor!

The little thief backs away in horror.



Amethu's lantern shatters in his lifeless hand. Cruloc's torch is also snuffed out and Dahinna is plunged into absolute darkness. The last she saw of Gnasher, he was running among the pews in a blind panic.

In the pitch blackness, Dahinna is all alone, deep in the Caverns of Thracia. Then, in horror, she realizes she is not alone!

Suddenly, from the darkness comes the startled yelp of Grigor's dog!

For Gnasher only:

Gnasher is attacked by something he had never before encountered nor does he understand! (5hp damage) Confused and in pain, Gnasher senses only that something is nearby that smells like the dead bodies all around him!

Actions, Dahinna and Gnasher?!


Map Detail:

One square = 10 feet. There is no light. All is from memory.

Map:


Behind the DM Screen:

Something attacks Gnasher: [1d20]=13 Hits.
Damage to Gnasher: [1d4]=4 + [1d8]=1

PC Status:

Dahinna: Zamoran Southwoman Thief 5: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 18/25

PC Magic:

None currently.

Player Resources:

The Struggle To Survive (the story so far)
Mysteries Strange and Deadly (player clues and notes)
An Age Undreamed Of (maps and realms of the World of Hyboria)

[ChubbyPixie]

C'mon Gnasher! You can do eet!

[hedgeknight]

Dahinna

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" she hisses as darkness envelopes her. She fumbles for her pack and retrieves her last torch. As she is digging it out, she hears Gnasher yelp and throws a hand over her mouth so she doesn't scream. Striking steel to flint, she lights her torch and holds it high, sword in her other hand.
"Gnasher?" she whispers. "Here boy!"
She doesn't move an inch toward the tapestry, instead taking a step or two back. "Gnasher? Ah...gods be damned!"

[Bluetongue]

Gnasher will run to Dahinna

[Inferno]

The Caverns of Thracia, Pictland, the World of Hyboria
Day Twelve. Late Morning? 22nd day of the month of Qrot, 1280th year of the Age of Aquilonia







In the blackness of Thracia, Gnasher's terrified yelp suddenly dies in his throat.

Then all is silent.

Dahinna frantically gets her last torch alight. Within its feeble illumination she doesn't see the dog. "Gnasher? Ah...gods be damned!"

Then, from out of the darkness emerges a dread figure.



One of the shrouded worshippers, returned from death! (X7)

In one fleshless hand it holds the skull-crowned rod taken from Grigor's lifeless grip. It slowly extends its other skeletal hand toward Dahinna.

Surrounded by her fallen friends, the charnel horror utters no words. But its meaning is clear. It asks the Handmaiden of Graves to willingly accept her fate, as foreseen by the sacred Oracle. In death, she shall be reunited with Iago. And she shall serve Thanatos, the God of Death... forever.


Actions, Dahinna?!


Map Detail:

One square = 10 feet. Lighter area is visible. All else is from memory.

Behind the DM Screen:

Initiative: Party: [1d6]=5, Monsters: [1d6]=1 Party wins.
Gnasher flees a melee. Free attack on Gnasher: [1d20]=11 Hits.
Damage to Gnasher: [1d4]=4 + [1d8]=4

PC Status:

Dahinna: Zamoran Southwoman Thief 5: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 18/25, Torch

PC Magic:

None currently.

Player Resources:

The Struggle To Survive (the story so far)
Mysteries Strange and Deadly (player clues and notes)
An Age Undreamed Of (maps and realms of the World of Hyboria)

[hedgeknight]

Dahinna

If she could be shaking with fear any more, she would be in a quavering puddle on the floor. The face of death chills her straight to her heart which is pounding in her ears. She instinctively takes a step back when she sees the creature. Somehow she finds her voice, even though it comes out as a whisper.
"T-the Oracle...sh-she said I was the Handmaiden of Graves. Is that it? That's all there is left for me? If...if I take your hand, how will I serve Thanatos?"
Then she finds some inner fire.
"Because right now, I want to burn this fucking place down! I'm sick of this shit! So you tell me!"
She angrily wipes tears from her face.
"You tell me! What does Thanatos want with me? I'm nothing! I'm no one!" her shouts echo through the chamber and into the caverns beyond. She is gasping for breath, holding the torch and her sword before her.

[Inferno]

The Caverns of Thracia, Pictland, the World of Hyboria
Day Twelve. Late Morning? 22nd day of the month of Qrot, 1280th year of the Age of Aquilonia







Dahinna trembles uncontrollably as she rages against the deathly horror.

It does not answer.

With the patience of the grave it waits, unmoved and unmoving, hand still extended in invitation as Dahinna veers from denial to anger to bargaining; inexorably heading toward her inevitable conclusion.


Actions, Dahinna?!


Map Detail:

One square = 10 feet. Lighter area is visible. All else is from memory.





PC Status:

Dahinna: Zamoran Southwoman Thief 5: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 18/25, Torch

PC Magic:

None currently.

Player Resources:

The Struggle To Survive (the story so far)
Mysteries Strange and Deadly (player clues and notes)
An Age Undreamed Of (maps and realms of the World of Hyboria)